The protruding postal matter case 104 defined herein indicates, for example, a case 104 shown in FIG. 29 which is fixed between a first sheet portion 101 forming a front side of a post card-like postal matter and a second sheet portion 103 forming a back side having a cut-out window portion 102 and laid over the first sheet portion 101 to be closed in the form of the postal matter and protrudes from the cut-out window portion 102.
Examples of the conventional type of protruding postal matter cases are shown in FIGS. 30(a) and 30(b). The protruding postal matter case 105 shown in FIG. 30(a) has a cup-like form, comprising a convex portion 106 having a space therein and a flange portion 107 therearound. The flange portion 107 is fixed between the first sheet portion 101 and the second sheet portion 103.
The protruding postal matter case 108 shown in FIG. 30(b) comprises a cup and a cover 109 having the same shapes as the one shown in FIG. 30(a). In this type of protruding postal matter case, the flange portion 107 and the cover 109 are fixed between the first sheet portion 101 and the second sheet portion 103.
The protruding postal mater case provides the following advantageous effects.
When a postal matter having the protruding postal matter case is used for a direct mail, a door-to-door delivery service and an advertising medium by disposition or posting, not only an advertising printing matter but also a sample of an article or a small actual article can be mailed together, with contained in the case, and a recipient or an addressee can visually confirm the literature and information and the sample and also try the sample actually by touch with it. Further, when the case is made transparent, the recipient or addressee can realize what is the article contained in the postal matter at the moment when he has received the postal matter. Besides, the stereoscopic postal matter can catch the recipient's eyes to contribute to enhance the percentage of an opening of the postal matter and also directly appeal to the recipient or addressee.
When casing therein a small article such as a sample of an article, the case 105 shown in FIG. 30(a) requires the step that after a glue or a double-coated tape is applied to the flange portion 107, the first sheet portion is adhesive bonded to the flange portion to close the inner space of the convex portion 106 by the first sheet portion. On the other hand, the case shown in FIG. 30(b) requires the step that after the glue or the double-coated tape is applied to the flange portion 107, the cover 109 is adhesive bonded to the flange portion to close the inner space of the convex portion 106 by the cover.
Incidentally, when an attempt is made to achieve mass production of the protruding postal matter case by automation, the inner space of the convex portion 106 must be closed in advance to prevent the sample or something contained in the cup from coming out of the same. However, the application of the glue to the flange portion 107 only, without adhering to the sample or equivalent, requires high accuracy and thus involves difficulties. On the other hand, the application of the double-coated tape to the same involves disadvantages of requiring a manual working and being costly and thus increasing unit costs.
In the light of the disadvantages mentioned above, the present invention has been made. It is the object of the present invention to provide a protruding postal matter case suitable for automation for mass production thereof.